New Acadia
NOTE: To see entries and voting history, please scroll towards the bottom of the page. New Acadia (French: Nouvelle Acadie, Long Form: La République de la Nouvelle Acadie) is an island nation that participates in the Nation Song Contest, debuting in version 52. At A Glance Etymology The name "New Acadia" comes from the historical region of Acadia, the English name for the former French colonial region in northeastern North America, which is today typically referred to as The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, along with the American state of Maine. History The story of the Acadians is unique, in that they are a historically peaceful and tolerant people who share a rich culture and a special bond. The settlement of Port-Royal (present day Annapolis Royal) in 1607 was originally founded by the Acadians, and is the oldest continuous European settlement to ever have been founded in North America. Their early history was that of subsistence and harmony, developing bonds with the local aboriginal tribe, the Mi'kmaqs and learned their hunting and fishing techniques. Their location, though, was on the frontier of a power struggle between French and British territories. Their land was repeatedly ceded between nations, and the Acadians learned to live productively through neutrality and refused to choose sides. This led to their nickname 'the French neutrals.' After the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the Acadian territory (minus Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia) was permanently ceded to the British. Thus, the Acadians were forced to sign an oath of allegiance to the Crown. In a trade for their loyalty, they stipulated that they would remain neutral in conflict against the French and Aboriginals. In the mid 18th century, with the British and French conflicting again, the Crown demanded the Acadians take an absolute oath of allegiance to the British, meaning they would have to take arms against their French neighbours and family. Not wanting to turn against their family in French territory, along with believing their allegiance would compromise their religious beliefs, they refused. In response to their insistence on neutrality, the British Colonel Charles Lawrence ordered the mass deportation of the Acadians. In what was known as "Le Grand Dérangement" (The Great Expulsion), over 14 000 Acadians were removed from their territory, with their homes burned and lands confiscated. Modern History and Culture The land that is today known as New Acadia is historically neutral, and the New Acadian population are a welcoming group of people. In the west, there are large populations of Tohruans and Zombirans, who are often allowed to create their own local laws in towns where they constitute a majority of the population. There are also schools which cater to these minorities. There is also a large Halitosian presence on an island in Îles-de-la-Mer, where they are allowed to largely rule autonomously. New Acadia is the pinnacle of the modern Acadian movement, where Cajuns and Acadians alike went searching for a new land in which they could lead and enjoy a life of freedom, tolerance, and prosperity. Native New Acadians live peacefully with minorities in the country, and New Acadians are consistently ranked as the happiest people in the world. Provinces and Geography There are seven provinces in New Acadia, and although they are part of one country, they each have a distinct and unique culture. Brès Brès, which comes from the Old French word for 'cradle,' is the southernmost region in New Acadia, which is also home to the largest immigrant populations on the island, especially the southwestern portion. This is probably thanks to Port-de-Personnes, where all immigrants must dock before they are accepted as new citizens. Port-de-Personnes (city) Port-de-Personnes (literally Harbour of People), is New Acadia's, and possibly the world's, most ethnically diverse city. All people who seek migrant status in New Acadia first pass through Port-de-Personnes. Port-de-Peronnes' population of 122 867 is the largest in western New Acadia and third largest in the country. The demographics are as follows: Macchabie Macchabie, named for fossils found of an ancient civilization (known in English as Macchabis) that once inhabited the island, is the largest province in New Acadia (size-wise), slightly larger than Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales. It is also the official name of the main island, though locals refer to the island as 'L'Île' (The Island). Little is known about the Macchabian people, other than that they were well adapted to the harsh northern climate that plagues New Acadia, as is evidenced in tools found in escavation. Though the largest and fourth most populated province, it is considerably less in population than that of Brès, Port-Royal, and Narvalie. Today's people who inhabit the province named Macchabie are world-renowned for their energy feats. The energy produced from tidal and wind power not only supply the entire nation with energy, they are able to export mass quantities of their electicity to other nations, especially FSR KOP!JA, Adamsburg, and Xorentia, to name a few. Narvalie Named the Narvalie, this region is well known for two things, Nouvelle-Annapolis, and Narwhals. Narvalie is the most populated province of New Acadia (386 321), and most of the population is centred around Nouvelle-Annapolis, which contains approximately 30% of the country's entire population. Nouvelle-Annapolis (city) Nouvelle-Annapolis is New Acadia's largest city and economic centre (population 304 553). It is the centre of many of the country's businesses, and the city was the first settlement that was not in the province of Port-Royal. Nouvelle Annapolis' hockey team, "Les Blizzards" are one of the fiercest in the LNHNA (Ligue Nationale de Hockey de la Nouvelle-Acadie), winning 23 of championships out of 40 seasons of the league. Their toughest rival, Port-Royal's team, "Les Nordiques" (The Northerners), have, by comparison, only won ten times. Les Blizzards have also competed internationally, and are one of the most successful international teams of all time. Narwhals Narwhal tours are a major source of income for the province, and the region is also named for the legendary whale. The Macchabis people who lived in the region before the New Acadians hunted these beasts, and was an important part of their diet. Narwhals are mysterious whales, who have a horn that pierce through their head. Little is known about them, and they are a protected species by the Narval Conservation Act of 2003. Port-Royal (Province de la Capitale Nationale) The province of Port-Royal is known for several reasons. Not only is it the province that holds the capital, it also is the province with the legendary Mount Nagol, and is the site of the oldest New Acadian settlement. Mount Nagol Mount Nagol is an important part of New Acadian history. According to legend, the first New Acadian settlers from the continent followed the mountain from their boats, through dangerous waters, and settled near the mountain. The first settlement of New Acadia, Saint-Luc, is located just east of the mountain. There is a replica of the old town, for tourism interests, and a bustling underground market in the town. Port-Royal (city) Port-Royal is the cultural and national capital of the country. Known for it's chic boutiques, modern restaurants, unique fashion, centre of government, and historical importance, Port-Royal has something for everything. As the primary city in the province (the province is, of course, named for the city), it has a population of approximately 225 000, making it the second biggest city in the country. Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales The region known as Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales (Northern Coast - Royal Islands) are the northernmost reaches of New Acadia. There are few people who live in this province, and is sixth in total population (only Îles-de-la-Mer contains less people) Îles-de-la-Mer Îles-de-la-Mer, the least populated province, is a sparsely scattered collections of islands contained in the New Acadian Sea (Mer Nouvelle-Acadie). The most known island is probably Île-Bleu, the settlement of Halitosians who live in the country. They are a self-governing group of people, and are often left to their own culture. Approximately 100 New Acadians live on the island, versus the nearly 9 500 Halitosians (including those born in New Acadia). The main village on Île-Bleu is Zagrade. There are nearly 100 islands in this province, though less than ten are actually inhabited. This is probably due to the harsh wind that is nearly always blowing in the New Acadian Sea. Île-Saint-Jean Île-Saint-Jean is the furthest reaching island in all of New Acadia, and is in itself a province. Despite it's far away location and extremely harsh weather (in winter it is regularly -50C) more people live on the island than do in Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales or Îles-de-la-Mer. This is probably due to the presence of Université Sainte-Anne, the largest private university in New Acadia, known for their ocean studies programmes. Geography New Acadia's major mountain range, Les Montagnes de la Macchabie (The Macchabis Mountains) in the southeast set the entire landscape of the large island. Permanently snow-capped and rocky, the mountain range is largely uninhabitable, but is a popular winter skiing and snowboarding destination for New Acadians and tourists alike, who enjoy some of the best natural snow in the NSC world. Port-Royal is due east of the mountain range, and is the only major settlement west of the mountains. Travelling through the range is possible thanks to the national road (Le Périphérique), which scrapes across the coast and offers one of the most picturesque drives in the country. The mountain range also protects Port-Royal from some of the cold, and is thus the warmest city in the country. As you travel west and north, the general trend is that the land becomes flatter (except for a small stretch of land in the northeast simply called les Collines de la Nouvelle-Acadie (The New Acadian Hills). There is one major river in New Acadia, called La Rivière-Bleue (The Blue River), which starts in the Macchabis Mountains and flows out of the northern section of the country. Transportation The issue of transportation is one that, by critics, plagues the country. Roads are expensive to maintain, especially with frost heaves which damage them badly in winter. There is one national highway which is called by natives as 'Le Périphérique,' (The Ring Road) which encircles the main island. Access to far-outlying islands, especially Île-Saint-Jean and the eastern islands, is difficult. In the winter, the water is oftentimes too difficult to navigate, making flight the only means of transportation. On the islands, the roads are usually in worse shape than on the main island, and in very small communities there are sometimes no paved roads at all. The New Acadian government has faced criticism for their maintaining of public roads, who have responded with the establishment of the 'Autorité Routière de la Nouvelle-Acadie' (Road Authority of New Acadia). They are currently in the process of assessing roads which need the most repair, and will report back to the government with a list of recommendations. Demographics There are 996 231 people living in New Acadia, according to the 2010 census. The majority, 87%, are of Acadian and Cajun descent. In the south and west (namely in Brès, especially Port-de-Personnes and surrounding areas), many towns also comprise of large Tohruan (6.7%) and Zombiran (5.2%) minorities. On Île-Bleu, there is a substantial presence of Halitosians, compromising 99.4% of the total Halitosian presence in the nation. * Note: Cajuns and Acadians are historically the same people. Cajuns are those people who, after Le Grand Dérangement, resettled to the American state of Louisiana. Therefore, both can natively be classified as 'New Acadian' Population by province: Languages The official languages of New Acadia are English and French, but Zombiran is also an accepted minority language in Port-de-Personnes, and Halitosian is an accepted minority language in Îles-de-la-Mer. French and English are compulsory for all students from primary school until secondary graduation. Thus, 90-95% New Acadians are bilingual in French and English. The status of both official languages are important in the culture of New Acadia. All laws, along with sessions of Parliament, are written and conducted entirely in French, and translated into English. Sport In New Acadia, sport is an essential part of national identity. Winter sports, especially hockey and curling, are important in defining New Acadian culture. Hockey is also defined as the New Acadian national sport. Though New Acadia is a small country, the their hockey league, LNHNA (Ligue Nationale de Hockey de la Nouvelle-Acadie) attracts some of the best players from around the world. Two teams have traditionally dominated the New Acadian hockey scene, though, 'Les Blizzards de Nouvelle-Annapolis' and 'Les Nordiques de Port-Royal,' who have, combined, won 33 of 40 seasons (23 for Les Blizzards and 10 for Les Nordiques). Another sport that New Acadia has done well at in internationally is football (soccer). During the NSC World Cup 2010, the New Acadian national team reached the knockout stage, losing in the quarterfinal match to Horehronieland. As an added fact, the New Acadian national team was the team with the lowest amount of points which qualified out of the group stage, with only two. The Lyapunovian team was disqualified from group play after attacking another team. Other summer sports, though, do not fare as well. Due to the short summers that provide refreshing, but short-lived heat, there is just not enough summertime to promote any major competitive sporting. This goes without saying that New Acadia offers one of the world's most pristine golf courses just outside of Port-Royal, called 'Sources d'Hiver' (Winter Springs). Flag The flag of New Acadia holds special importance to the people of the country. The mountain is Mount Nagol, which holds a special significance in the region. Not only is it the largest mountain in the region, but according to legend, the first New Acadian settlers followed the peak of the mountain from their boats for two weeks, through dangerous waters, to this promising land. The seven stripes on the flag represent the seven provinces (regions) in the country. The red stripe running vertically represents the bond to their original Canadian homeland. In the Nation Song Contest Radio-Acadia, the French broadcaster, is in charge of choosing entries for odd-numbered editions, while NABC, the English broadcaster, is in charge of even-numbered editions, though both broadcasters tend to lean towards English entries, as can be seen through their choice of entries. * Note: All Final editions have 28 (and rarely 29) entrants, while semi-final entrants differ between editions. New Acadia has given 580 points in 10 final events. They have awarded the most points to: New Acadia has received 658 points in 6 final events. The nation has received the most points from: In Spinoffs